Motion-picture machine



J. DOHERTY MOTION PICTURE MACHINE May 15, 1923.

Filed Jan. 27, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet i I NI 'EN' TOR.

JAM/Do H67? r 7 HGMZ ,7;

ATTORNEYS May 15, 1923.

J. DOHERTY MOTION PICTURE MACHINE Filed Jan. 27. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2\JJHM- yzrerr 1 N V EN TOR.

r ATTORNEYS Patented May 15, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATE OFFICE.

JOHN DOHERTY, OF NEW YORK, N. Z, ASSIGNOR T0 SUPERIOR PROJECTOR, INC.

MOTION-PICTURE TdACI-IINE.

Application filed January 27, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN DOHERTY, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motion-PictureMachines, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in motion pictureprojecting machines, particularly that portion which relates to theso-called framing of the pic ture. As is well understood in the art, itis necessary from time to time, while the machine is in motion, toadjust the relation of the film to the exposure opening, so as to bringthe succeeding photographs in correctrelation to that opening.

One of the objects of my invention is toprovide a simplified form offraming mechanism.

With this and other objects in view, my invention consists in thecombinations and arrangements hereinafter described and morespecifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a portion of a projecting machineembodying one form of my invention; Fig. 2 is a view from the left ofFig. 1, with some of the parts omitted, and Fig. 3 is a View from theright of Fig. 1, also with some of the, parts omitted.

The same reference characters designate the same parts in the respectiveviews.

For purposes of illustration, I have shown in the drawings only so muchof the mechanism of a motion picture machine as is necessary tounderstand the application of my invention. It will be understood thatsuch a machine has the usual su ply and take-up reels to support the bulof the film, together with the usual continuously moving sprockets forfeeding off and taking up the film from these supply reels, as well asthe usual guide rollers for leading the film into the position oppositethe ex-' posure opening which is located in the optical axis of theprojecting machine.

A. portion of one form of frame commonly used for supporting themechanism of a projecting machine is shown at 10. To this frame isattached a support 11 having an exposure opening 12 in the foot or plate13 extending from the plate 11 which is fastenedto the frame 10. On theplate 13 is and a driving pulley 25.

Serial No. 440,254.

slidingly mounted a film supporting frame comprising the plate 14: andthe door 15 which is hinged at 16, 16 to the plate 14. This door is heldclosed by the catch 17 and the door 15 may be supplied with the usualspring shoes 18. At the upper end of the plate 14 is a guide roller 19.

The frame 10 has a circular opening formed therein in which is mountedthe exterior of the cylindrical support 20 provided with flanges 21, 22extending on either side of the frame 10 to hold the support 20 inposition in the frame 10. A handle 231 is attached to the plate 21 sothat the support 20 may be rotated in the frame 10. The plate 21 carriesa bearing 221 through which extends the driving shaft 23 which is alsoprovided with suitable outer bearings as 24: The center of the shaft 23is located in the center of the support 20 so that the latter may berotated around the shaft.

@n the plate 22 is an extended bearing 26 through which projects adriven shaft 27 on the outer end of which is mounted the intermittentsprocket 28 which is in the usual relation to the film support and theexposure opening.

On the inner end of the driven shaft 27 and the outer end of the drivingshaft 23 is the usual pin and star intermittent or broken gearing, thecam being shown at 30, the pin at 81, the star wheel at 32, this starwheel Between the plates 14 and 22 is a connecting link 10 pivotallyconnected at either end by studs 11, 12 to the two plates so as totransmit motion from the plate 22 to the plate 14.

The machine is provided with the usual rotary shutter 50 having exposureopenings, of which 51 is one, the shutter beim so arranged that as itrotates with the shaft 52, the openings will pass across the exposureopening 12 to allow the light to pass through the film.

The shaft 52 is driven from the driving shaft 23 by screw gears 53, 54,the former being attached to the shaft 23 and the latter being splinedto the shaft 52 by a spline 55, whereby the gear 54 may be movedlongitudinally of the shaft 52 and yet the gear and shaft will alwaysturn together. It will also be understood that suitable bearings (notshown) will be provided for the shaft 52.

At the end of the gear 54 and forming a part thereof is an extension inwhich is turned a groove 56 in which projects a shoe 57 pivotallyconnected to a link 58, the lower end of which is pivotally connected at59 to the plate 21. The upper end of the link 58 carries a shoe 60 whichmoves in a slide 61 attached to the frame 10 in any suitable manner, asby the screws 62.

With the mechanism just described, if the picture is not properlyframed, the operator, while the machine is in motion will changed.

rotate the support 20 by moving the handle 231 in the suitabledirection. This will move the sprocket 28 in relation to the exposureopening 12 and will thus move the film so as to bring the picture inproper relation to the exposure opening. As the sprocket thus moves, itis carried around the center of the driving shaft 23 so that thedistance between the centers of the two portions of the broken gearingremains un- Also by using my preferred arrangement, in which the filmsupport itself is also moved, the relation between the sprocket and thefilm support also remains substantially unchanged. Because of therelatively small are through which the sprocket 28 need be moved aroundthe center 23, there will be a very slight rotation of the sprocket 28by reason of the connection through the broken gearing with the drivingshaft 23. This slight rotation of the sprocket 28 on its own center isconstant irrespective of whether the cam 30 is in engagement with one ofthe curved faces 34 or whether the pin 31 is in engagement with one ofthe slots 33 at the time such adjustment takes place. In other words, Ihave provided an arrangement by which the sprocket may be shifted toframe a picture, which arrangement does not introduce uncertain errors,but which is fixed in its operation.

When the sprocket 28 is shifted around the center of the driving shaft23, the relative time in which the film will be moved past the opening12 is changed. For instance, if with the parts in the positions shown inFig. 3 and with the driving shaft stationary, the sprocket 28 be moveddownwardly, 1t will be obvious that the pin 31 would have to travel ashorter distance before commencing to turn the sprocket 28 than it wouldif the parts were in the position shown in'Fig. 3. To compensate forthis shifting, it is necessary to rotate the shutter 50 so that a solidportion thereof will be over the exposure opening 12- at the time thefilm is shifted by the movement of the sprocket 28. As one means ofaccomplishing this, I use the mechanism shown rect relation to theexposure opening to correspond to the new relation between the in 31 andthe star wheel 32. It will be un erstood that the angle of the slide 61and the portions of the parts, as well as the angle of the teeth on thescrew gears 53 and 54, are calculated to provide the desiredcompensation. Because, however, the only thing that need be consideredis the change in the relation between the pin 31 and the star wheel 32.a fixed mechanism, such as that described, will fully provide for allchanges in the relative positions of the parts in framing the picture,and no hand adjustmentto compensate for errors introduced by suchmechanism is required.

While preferably I provide the movable film slide 14-15 so as to obviatethe pushing of the film through the slide when the picture is to beframed upwardly, it will be understood that for some purposes a fixedslide may be used.

It will also be understood that other mechanisms may be used for movingthe screw gear 54 longitudinally of the shaft 55, and that theconstruction which I have shown is merely illustrative for that purpose.

I claim:

1. In a motion picture projecting machine, a vertically movable filmsupport adapted to hold a portion of the film opposite the exposureopening, an intermittently operated sprocket to draw the film step bystep through the support, a driving shaft supported in fixed bearings inthe.

machine frame, broken gearing between the driving shaft and thesprocket, means to move the support in relation to the exposure opening,and means to move the sprocket bodily around the axis of the drivingshaft and to maintain its relation to the support substantially constantas the support is moved.

2. In a motion picture projecting machine, a vertically movable filmsupport adapted" to hold a portion of the film opposite the exposureopening, an intermittently operated sprocket to draw the film step bystep through the support, a driving shaft supported in fixed hearings inthe machine frame, a star wheel connected to the sprocket, a pin on thedriving shaft ada ted to engage the star wheel intermittent y, means tomove the support in relation to the exposure opening, and means to movethe sprocket bodily around the center of the driving shaft whilemaintaining the pin and star wheel in engaging relation, and to maintainits relation to the support substantially constant as the support ismoved.

3. In a motion picture projecting machine, a vertically movable filmsupport adapted to hold a portion of the film opposite the exposureopening, an intermittently operated sprocket to draw the film step bystep through the support, a driven shaft on which the sprocket ismounted, a driving shaft supported infixed hearings in the machineframe, a support for the driven shaft mounted on the machine frame andadapted to be moved to carry the driven shaft bodily around the axis ofthe driving shaft, broken gearing between the driving and the drivenshafts, and a connection between the film support and the driven shaftsupport, whereby the relation between the film support and the sprocketis maintained substantially constant as the supports are moved.

4. In a motion picture projecting machine, a vertically movable filmsupport adapted to hold a portion of the film opposite the exposureopening, slides for said support, a driving shaft supported in fixedhearings in the machine frame, an intermittently operated sprocket todraw the film step by step through the support, broken gearing betweenthe driving shaft and the sprocket, a movable support for the sprocketarranged to permit the sprocket to be moved bodily around the axis ofthe driving shaft, and a connection between said movable support andsaid film support arranged to maintain said film support and saidsprocket in substantially constant relation as the sprocket is movedbodily.

is mounted, a driving shaft out o 5. In a motion picture projectingmachine, a film support having an exposure opening therein, anintermittent sprocket adapted to draw the film' across the opening, adriven shaft on which the s rocket alignment with the driven shaft,broken gearing connecting the shafts anda support for the driven shaft,constructed and arranged to permit the driven shaft to be (revolvedaround the axis of the driving shaft, a rotary shutter having an openingadapted to pass across the exposure opening when the shutter rotates, ashaft on which the shutter is mounted and extending at right angles tothe driving shaft, screw gearing between the driving shaft and theshutter shaft, the screw gear on the shutter shaft being splined theretoand adapted to be moved longitudinally thereof, a connection hetween thedriven shaft support and the shutter shaft screw gear, whereby said gearis moved longitudinally of the shaft as said support is moved, saidconnection comprisinga link connected at one end to said support, aslide block connected to the other end of the link, a slide for theblock attached to the machine frame and a connection between the linkand the gear.

6. In a motion picture projecting ma chine, a film support having anexposure opening therein, a rotary shutter having an opening adapted topass across the exposure opening when the shutter is rotated, a shuttershaft to which the shutter is attached, a driving shaft extending atright angles to the shutter shaft, screw gearing connecting the shafts,the screw gear on the shutter shaft bein splined thereto and adapted tobe moved ongitudinally thereof, means to move said gear longitudinallyof the shutter, whereby the position of the shutter opening relativelyto the exposure opening may be changed while the driving shaft isstationary, said means including a link having one end rotatable aroundthe driving shaft and the opposite end connected to a slide block, aslide for the block attached to the machine frame and a connectionbetween the link and the gear.

JOHN DOHEBTY.

